Celebrate a Safe 4th of July

July 4th is a time to celebrate with parties, fireworks, friends and family; a great time to enjoy all the freedom we so enjoy. While we are celebrating, many of our pets are panicking. Even the most stable, social dog can be sent into mild anxiety or into a full blown panic attack. From home fireworks, to professional fireworks and here in Arizona...lots of gun shots; our pets are under attack (so it feels like to them).
There are more lost dogs and cats on the fourth of July than on any other single day of the year, rescue shelters report on average a spike of three times the amount of lost pets on this holiday. Many of these pets are never reunited with their families again.
Here are some tips to help your pet with this stressful holiday:
-Easiest and simplest thing to keep them safe is to keep them indoors
-Play soothing music or have the TV on to provide a buffer to the outdoor noise
-Be sure that your pet is wearing correct ID tags
-Be sure your pet is microchipped
-Do not take them to a fireworks display
If this is your first 4th of July with your dog we recommend foregoing the fireworks this year and celebrate with your pup at home so you can observe how he/she responds to the noise.
If your dog has already showed signs of severe anxiety to loud noises or on previous 4th of July holidays, consider consulting with your veterinarian regarding anti-anxiety medications.